Research briefings

This page provides access to research briefings produced by the House of Commons Library, the House of Lords Library and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). You can filter the research briefings by date, type, or one of 350 topics. Pick your options from the dropdown menus.

Glossary

Commons Briefing papers: Papers providing in-depth and impartial analysis on every major piece of primary legislation and on other topics of public and parliamentary concern. Regular statistics papers are also published.

Lords Library Notes: Authored publications by the research section of the House of Lords Library that provide analysis of Bills, subjects for debate in the House and other issues of interest to Members.

POSTbriefs: Responsive policy briefings from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology based on mini-literature reviews and peer review, typically commissioned by select committees and library research services.

POSTnotes: Proactive four-page policy briefings from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology based on reviews of the research literature, interviews with stakeholders and peer review, commissioned by the POST Board.

A debate on the role of men in preventing violence against women will be held on Thursday 4 February 2016 at 13.30 in Westminster Hall. The members in charge of the debate are Gavin Newlands, Jess Phillips and Andrew Percy

This House of Commons Briefing Paper provides information on which claimants are affected by the reduction in Housing Benefit when under-occupying a social rented home. The policy is often referred to as 'the removal of the Spare Room Subsidy' or the 'bedroom tax'. The benefit reduction has been in place since 1 April 2013. The paper summarises some of the key legal challenges to the under-occupation deduction from Housing Benefit.

This is a Debate Pack for the debate on 'Parliamentary sovereignty and EU renegotiations' on Thursday 4 February 2016. Debate Packs are collections of parliamentary and other relevant material produced for most non-legislative debates in the Chamber and Westminster Hall, other than half-hour adjournment debates.

The Benefit Entitlement (Restriction) Bill 2015-16 had its First Reading on 6 July 2015 and is scheduled for its Second Reading on 5 February 2016. The Bill is a Private Members' Bill presented by Christopher Chope. The Bill aims to restrict entitlement to benefits of non-UK Citizens from the EU and EEA.

This Commons Library briefing provides background information on plans for the introduction of a new contract for doctors in training (junior doctors) in England, including a summary of the proposed changes, and an update on the current state of negotiations between NHS Employers and the BMA. The briefing also provides some brief information on the delivery of seven day services and proposed changes to the consultant contract.

24% of adults in England are obese. A further 36% are overweight. This briefing provides statistics on the obesity among adults and children in the UK, along with data on prescriptions, surgery, and international comparisons.

This Commons Library Briefing paper sets out sources of financial and practical help for constituents with domestic energy bills. It links to sources for more information. It also outlines policy developments in this area.

This House of Commons Library briefing paper provides an overview of the flexibility for parents of summer-born children in England to request for their children to be admitted to school outside of their normal age group, and potential future changes.

This is a Debate Pack for the debate on the 'Conflict in Yemen' on Thursday 4 February 2016. Debate Packs are collections of parliamentary and other relevant material produced for most non-legislative debates in the Chamber and Westminster Hall, other than half-hour adjournment debates.

This Commons Briefing Paper provides information about the introduction of the new system of electoral registration (IER) in Great Britain and funding both for the transition period and to support a range of initiatives to increase the level of voter registration among under-registered groups, including students. Registration in Northern Ireland has been on an individual basis since 2002.